The Planes of Combat Flight Sim 2, pt. 1

Today we take a look at the Japanese fighters in Microsoft's upcoming new game.

By IGN Staff

You can't not know that we don't feel indifferent towards this game, right? In fact, our partiality for the game should predispose you to anticipate a final evaluation of the affirmative sort.

In short, we like the game.

And in order to make it so you can get excited about the game, we've decided to bring you a complete overview of the seven player planes in the game. Familiarity breeds expectation or so they say. All the information comes straight from Microsoft and includes technical details, a brief overview of each plane and some handy tactical pointers. Today we'll be talking about the Japanese planes -- the A6M2 Zeke, the A6M5 and the N1K2-J George. Tune in tomorrow when we'll be covering the four Allied craft in the game. But first, the gang at Microsoft gives us a little overview of how plane designs adapted to the environment of the Pacific.

The Fighter Planes

Some of the most famous fighter planes of the European air war wrapped their sleek shapes around inline, liquid-cooled engines. But in the Pacific, especially for Navy aircraft, the extra durability and ease of maintenance of the air-cooled radial engine made it the engine of choice. That's because a single lucky shot from a soldier's rifle could puncture the radiator or coolant lines in a liquid-cooled engine, putting plane and pilot into the drink. The radial engine could take major damage, even the loss of whole cylinders, and still get you back to base. The most successful fighters of the Pacific war-the Mitsubishi Zero, Grumman Hellcat, and Vought Corsair-were radial-powered.

Aircraft designers on both sides had to solve the same problems, but the approaches they took were quite different. Through much of the war the Japanese relied on nimble, lightweight fighters that were more maneuverable and faster-climbing at low speeds and altitudes than anything in the Allied arsenal. Their superior range meant they could also fly further and fight longer than their opponents. Japanese pilots used these strengths to win aerial battles throughout the Pacific theater, flying maneuvers that their opponents had never seen or imagined. The phenomenal performance of the Japanese planes and pilots made them seem invincible, and at first their American opponents could hope to stay alive only by using team tactics, since their fighters couldn't compete head-to-head with the enemy. But this apparent invincibility came at a high price: Japanese Zeros and Oscars were too fragile to take much battle damage, often burning or exploding after very few hits.

American fighter design, especially for the Navy, took a different path. The most successful American fighters in the Pacific were heavier, more rugged, faster, and more powerful than their Japanese counterparts. They carried armor protection for pilot and fuel tanks and could absorb far more battle damage. And because they were less maneuverable, the pilots who flew them learned quickly not to try to out-turn the nimble Japanese fighters.

No matter which fighter you choose to fly, to come out alive you've got to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your plane and the enemy's. You've got to have the guts and the skill to use everything you've learned.

When the war began, the Zero gave enemy pilots a rude shock. No Allied fighter could match the Zero's phenomenal maneuverability and climb, or its range. Some thought the Zero was invincible, but the Zero got its performance through light construction-and a lack of armor or self-sealing tanks. The Zero pilot learned to use the plane's outstanding maneuverability to out-turn and-in some cases-out-climb Allied aircraft. Even when the U.S. introduced faster and more powerful fighters, pilots could never underestimate the Zero-in the hands of a skilled pilot, it was always a dangerous adversary against any American fighter.

The Zero's lightly loaded, high-lift wing and low weight made it a dream to fly at speeds below 250 mph, with a simply jaw-dropping ability to execute the wildest gyrations and zoom climbs at the whim of its pilot. However, the Zero became hard to handle as its speed approached 300 mph. Although it could reach an altitude of more than 32,000 feet, its climb rate and maneuverability fell off between 15,000 and 20,000 feet. Light weight, relatively low horsepower, and that high-lift wing made the Zero a reluctant diver.

Designed by the brilliant Jiro Horikoshi, the Zero got its name from the Japanese Navy Air Force numbering system, based on the final digits of the year in which the aircraft entered production. For the A6M, the year was 1940, (the year 2600 in the Japanese calendar), so it was called the "Type 0 (zero) fighter."

Combat Tips

Force an enemy pilot into a dogfight at 230-250 mph and below 20,000 feet. At this speed and altitude, no enemy fighter can out-maneuver or out-climb you.

Jump cruising enemy aircraft from above. Fasten onto the tail of the bandit, use your superior maneuverability to match his evasive moves, and put enough rounds into him to bring him down.

Use your machine guns first to "boresight" the enemy-once you get hits on him, finish him off with your cannon.

Below 300 mph you can fling the Zero all over the sky to get on an enemy's tail or to shake off all but the most determined attacker.

Climb away from most enemy aircraft, hanging on your prop in a near-vertical climb. Maneuvers like the Immelmann are easy, and heavier Allied fighters can't stay with you.

The Zero rolls faster to the left than to the right. Roll left to tighten your turn and get onto the enemy's six.

Don't dive away from attackers-your plane doesn't have the power or weight to out-run most U.S. fighters in a dive.

At speeds above 300 mph, the Zero's controls stiffen and don't respond well to the sudden, violent maneuvers that it does so well at lower speeds.

To exploit your plane's best performance, force the enemy lower and slow down the pace of the engagement.

The Japanese Navy had started flying this improved version of the Zero in late 1943. Its added horsepower, speed, and armament made it even more dangerous than the A6M2. Its slightly smaller, thicker-skinned wing gave it better diving qualities, but it still suffered from some of the A6M2's old problems. While slightly more maneuverable than a Hellcat at low to medium speeds, it was still lightly built and more vulnerable to battle damage than the Grumman. Despite these problems, the Zero could be very dangerous, especially if its pilot could draw his enemy into a turning fight below 15,000 feet. The Zero remained in production and continued to evolve. Anyone who thinks a Zero was an easy kill had better think twice.

Combat Tips This improved Zero retained most of the combat strengths and weaknesses of the earlier models. It was a little faster, and the added weight of its thicker-skinned wing improved diving ability. Finesse is still the name of the game for Zero pilots. Most of the "Tips for combat" for the A6M2 model still apply here.

One of the best late-war Japanese Navy fighters, the Shiden could match the performance of any Allied fighter in terms of speed, maneuverability, and armament. In the original N1K1 Shiden, engine reliability problems and a mid-wing configuration with long, collapse-prone landing gear were balanced by these elements. Mass production plans for the improved N1K2-J Shiden-kai came to naught as the Allies closed in on Japan, and a total of just 400 of these advanced fighters had been built. Because of the lack of experienced pilots, some of these excellent aircraft had been expended in the kamikaze role. Any pilot who met this improved "George" in combat had his hands full.

Combat Tips

With almost 2,000 hp, your plane can engage at higher speeds and altitudes.

Use your weight and power to dive away from an attacker.

Score heavy hits with Shiden-kai's four 20 mm cannon.

Look for our coverage of the Allied fighters tomorrow. And check out the extensive coverage of Combat Flight Simulator II.